Not very vocal 18 mnth. old

[mike berlovan]

I have an 18 month old Rottweiler puppy. He is very friendly, secure, playfull, outgoing with lots of drive. He lives with a tennis ball in his mouth. Lots of ball drive, loves to bite. When other dogs bark in the neighborohood he will run to the fence, but will not bark. All the surounding dogs were there before I got him. He is not dog agressive, he has played with a number of other dogs with no problems. He has barked a number of times, he can bark, but compared to my last Rottweiler, this dog doesn,t bark. My last one started barking a lot within his first year. Is this unussual? He is still very immature and that,s the only reason we are not working him on a sleeve yet. Everything is still a big game and just about having fun for now, steering him in the right direction for the future. He is out of a German import who is a Doc granddaugter, and Sired by a Sch3 titled dog who is a son of Dolf V. Weissen Grabben. Every male on his pedigree is Sch3. And all but 2 females are Sch. titled within the last 7 generations. 10 times Yves Eulenspigel. Is it unusuall for a dog with so much energy that will not sit still most of the day, out of these lines to be so quiet. He has never been in a threatening situation either. Too immature yet. All information is appreciated will be kept confidential. Just kidding. Thank you in advance for your imput. Mike and Ludwig

[Judi W]

Many Rottweilers are quiet workers, this is not uncommon, and your helper will help to develop that bark when the time comes. He'll know how - reward the tiniest huff sound at first, then slowly requiring a bit more noise before the reward. It'll come.

[RottieGirl86]

If it helps any, my late Sasha never knew how to bark, until she met the alpha dog in out a home, a yipper (sheltie/pek mix). It was learned behavior from when they walked together down the road.

Took about a year and Sasha chimmed in ( barking). She had been completely silent while the other one barked like crazy. Hard to explain to people that the little sweet looking sheltie/pek mix was the savage, not the 80 lb rott!

[Anne]

Until she was 18 months I never heard a peep out of my girl. Then she blew her cruciate and had TPLO. That was just over 3 weeks ago. Well I can tell you she has found her voice. Because she is feeling well but must be confined and is objecting strongly. She rarely sleeps much during the day and if she is not able to see me she barks, whines, grizzles and grumbles until I come back into the room. I also have a 13 yo GSD and my Rott wants to play with him 24/7. Because of this, if I let her out of the crate onto the carpeted floor area I have to lock him outside. He's not the culprit, she is. He just sits outside the glass door looking so sad. Any ideas for entertaining a bored 'in the crate' Rottweiler??

[IRIE'S MAMA]

Originally posted by Anne
Any ideas for entertaining a bored 'in the crate' Rottweiler??

How about a kong filled with peanut butter. We always tuck our girl in with her "konger"

As far as the barking...When Irie is on walks and hears and sees other dogs barking and going "crazy" over her she stops and stares at them, but doesn't bark. I am gald :D If she is in our yard and sees something out of the norm ie: stray cat....That is when the barking starts. If she is barking, I know that she sees something in the yard that isn't usually there. The other day it was at a lawn bag in the neighbors yard. Thank goodness, I was afraid that the bag was going to "attack us" LOL :D